On 20 May 2021, the government published its white paper for the railways in Britain after an 18-month delay due to the pandemic - ‘Great British Railways: The Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail’ (the Plan). The government...more
The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (“Court of Appeals”) addressed in an August 6 opinion whether certain activities involving wood pellets qualified as “transportation by rail carrier” under the...more
Reversing a district court decision that had delayed work on the $2.4 billion Purple Line light rail transit project in Maryland, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has held that the Federal...more
In what will be the first project of its kind in South East Asia, the governments of Malaysia and Singapore have agreed to collaborate on a high-speed rail project connecting the two nations' capital cities. The bidding...more
As physical signs of California’s $64 billion railroad project come into focus across the State, a potential faceoff with the federal government regarding its jurisdiction over state environmental laws, at least with regard...more
In Florida, All Aboard Florida, a private entity, is about to launch passenger rail service from Miami to West Palm Beach, with future service extending to Orlando. In California, the California High-Speed Rail Authority is...more
Background - This note serves as an update to two earlier notes dated August 2015 and January 2017 on the landmark Kuala Lumpur – Singapore High Speed Rail (the “HSR”). The HSR - In 2013, Singapore and Malaysia...more
In the last several months, the Surface Transportation Board (STB or Board) has issued a number of decisions further defining the scope of federal preemption. As the primary agency tasked with the economic regulation of the...more
As P3 Bulletin, the New York Times and Richard Cavallaro, the new CEO of international construction company Skanska’s US operations, have recently stated, the increase in private investment and Public Private Partnerships...more
Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx chaired a “virtual” town hall meeting, entitled “Moving from Uncertainty to Long-Term Transportation Investment,” on August 6, 2014. The town hall was open to the general public, as...more
In Town of Atherton v. CA High Speed Rail Authority, No. C070877 (Cal. Ct. App. 3d Dist., July 24, 2014), the Third Appellate District upheld the High-Speed Rail Authority’s (HSRA) Program Environmental Impact Report/ Program...more
While CEQA actions are statutorily designed as special proceedings with priority over other civil actions, and thus mandated to be heard and resolved expeditiously, when complex or controversial projects with dedicated...more
Environmental and Policy Focus - Second leg of California bullet-train line approved: SFGate.com - Jun 27: On June 27, 2014, the U.S. Department of Transportation gave its approval for work to begin on the second leg...more
Environmental and Policy Focus - New high-speed train route approved despite 'unavoidable' effects in Valley: The Fresno Bee - May 12: The California High-Speed Rail Authority approved a section of rail line from...more